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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23235415">these lines of lightning mean we're never alone</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashleygail/pseuds/ashleygail'>ashleygail</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>IT (Movies - Muschietti)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe- College, Background Stanpat somewhat, Bi Richie Tozier, Gay Eddie Kaspbrak, I'm Bad At Tagging, In This House We Love and Stan the Tozier Family, M/M, Reddiepat Friendship tbh, Richiepat Friendship, fake marriage au, idiots to lovers, mentions of drinking, slowburn, stozier friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:20:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23235415</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashleygail/pseuds/ashleygail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well, your father being married meant neither he or I were dependants of our parents, so the only income that was considered when applying for his loans. With that, we were considered low income and got more money than I think we would have if we were dependent on your grandparents.” Maggie said but her voice was quickly turning into a buzz in Richie’s ears. “Of course, your grandparents did help a lot but- Richie?”</p><p>“You know, Momma-” Richie jumped up from his seat and rushed to pull on his falling apart boots. “I actually have to go, I totally forgot. Bye. Love you.” </p><p>[or: when Eddie's mom pulls his financial support for school, Eddie finds himself with no option but to return back to Maine. Unless Richie can figure out a way to help him.]</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Stanley Uris/Patricia Blum Uris (minor)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>365</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>these lines of lightning mean we're never alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/dianawritesfic/gifts">dianawritesfic</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>HAPPY BIRTHDAY DIANA!! This is a birthday prompt that got Larger Than Intended but I simply cannot bring myself to regret it even though it put myself behind on many a things.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“This is it.” Eddie Kaspbrak threw his gym bag onto his dorm bed. He let out a loud groan of frustration and ran his fingers through his sweaty hair that had started to curl at the edges. Richie couldn’t help himself from staring. Even after three years of recreational and school sports, Eddie still hadn’t managed to bring himself to shower with any of the boys who shared his team- and after nearly a year of rooming together at NYU, Richie hadn’t managed to train himself not to drool over a sweaty, post-work out or practise Eddie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s it?” Richie asked from his spot lounging in his rolling desk chair. As final exams loomed closer, Richie spent a good chunk of his time sitting in this chair. His black curls were currently piled up high on his head, with an upwards of five or six pens currently stuck into it and forgotten about. He was rocking a pair of black underwear with an NYU sweater that was just short enough in the sleeves to suggest that it actually belonged to Eddie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just got off the phone with my mother.” Eddie said darkly, still standing in the middle of their dorm room with his hands on top of his head. “She’s made it extremely clear that she will not be supporting my </span>
  <em>
    <span>lifestyle, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and from here on out- she won’t be paying my tuition anymore.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie spun around in his seat and pushed his glasses up his nose. He gaped at his best friend. “She’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>what?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He gasped. “Eddie, what are you going to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie shook his head and Richie’s heart clenched at the tears that began to fill Eddie’s eyes. “I’m going to go back to Derry. I don’t have any other choice, do I? Even with my sports scholarship, and what </span>
  <em>
    <span>little </span>
  </em>
  <span>I get at my job, I won’t make anything close to enough. Ma said she’d pay my way if I went back to UMaine and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Richie said suddenly, sharply. He rolled his chair over to stay directly in front of where Eddie stood. “Eddie, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t. </span>
  </em>
  <span>You’ve come so far, you- you can’t back track like that. I won’t let you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie let out a soft, humourless laugh. “It’s not backtracking Richie.” He said with a pained sigh. He pushed Richie’s shoulders to move his chair away as Eddie stomped through the room to grab his shower bag. “It’s not like I’m here doing what I wanted anyway. I’m still here under her, studying what she says I have to. If she knew I was rooming with you, she would have dragged me back to Derry months ago.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie looked down at his hands and frowned. It was true, of course, they both knew it. Sonia was, to this day, under the impression that Eddie was living in a single dorm and Richie wasn’t sure how they’d possibly gotten away with it. Likely only Sonia’s fear of travel had kept them in the clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie kicked at his bed, shocking Richie out of his inner rambling. “She was never going to let me go, Rich.” Eddie said, voice breaking with tears. “Getting a year here, this </span>
  <em>
    <span>stupid </span>
  </em>
  <span>sneak peak, was just some sick sadistic way to break me. To remind me that I’ll always belong to her. It’s all bullshit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie pushed past Richie and left the room for his shower before Richie could find any sort of words to say to him. Richie let out a loud huff of breath and ran his hands over his face as his phone started to ring. He rolled his chair back to the desk and answered when he looked at the caller ID.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Momma, have I told you recently how much I love you?” Richie said in lue of a hello. He heard his mother huff out a laugh on the other end of the line but Richie barrelled on. “Even though you make me go away to school to study any sort of bullshit course when I won’t need it, I still love you very much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie Tozier let out a small sigh on the other side of the line. “Is that woman giving Eddie a hard time again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie smiled then the situation washed back over him and he sighed. “She cut him off, Momma. She won’t pay his tuition anymore, and he doesn’t have the money on his own. Not even with the scholarships. He has to go back to fucking Maine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It must have been a testament to how upset Richie sounded, because Maggie didn’t even attempt to reprimand him for cursing. Not that it had ever done any good. “It’s not fucking fair. Eddie </span>
  <em>
    <span>loves </span>
  </em>
  <span>New York, he even loves this school and this stupid dorm room! If anybody deserves to be here, it’s him! I wish I could just… give him my stupid tutition money, he wants to be here more than I do!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie made a small, sympathetic noise through the phone. “I’m sorry, honey. Prices of education are really outrageous like this. They weren’t half this expensive when your father was going to dentistry school. Of course, he had the benefit of being married behind him-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie sat up straighter in his desk chair. “Being married makes tuition cheaper?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, your father being married meant neither he or I were dependants of our parents, so the only income that was considered when applying for his loans. With that, we were considered low income and got more money than I think we would have if we were dependent on your grandparents.” Maggie said but her voice was quickly turning into a buzz in Richie’s ears. “Of course, your grandparents did help a lot but- Richie?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Momma-” Richie jumped up from his seat and rushed to pull on his falling apart boots. “I actually have to go, I totally forgot. Bye. Love you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Richie, what-” Maggie’s voice sounded small in his ear and Richie quickly ended the call and pulled up his best friend’s contact. Stan Uris had been a primary staple in Richie’s life since diapers, and was always his closest confidant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stan the Man, can I run an idea by you?” Richie asked as soon as Stan said hello into the phone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan let out a loud sigh on the other end of the line. “I’m sure there’s no way I’d be able to stop you even if I said no, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Righto Stano.” Richie chirped. “So, like theoritical question. If a certain adorable freckled face roommate of mine was getting cut off by his insanely controlling- no, actually, just straight up insane- mother, and was going to have to move back to his shitty, homophobic, racist trash ass hometown if he can’t somehow find the money to cover his tuition and costs of livings on his own, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>just so happen to know that being married means he’ll be marked as low income and be able to recieve more grants and loans, would you or would you not be obligated to marry him?”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan was quiet on the other end of the phone for a long time as Richie felt his stomach churning with nerves. “Is this, and I quote the- </span>
  <em>
    <span>adorable freckled faced roommate, </span>
  </em>
  <span>one that you have happened to be in love with since the eighth grade?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s theoretical, Stanley, keep up.” Richie said quickly, feeling the blush rise up the back of his neck. “But theoretically, yes. It would be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan laughed- </span>
  <em>
    <span>laughed- </span>
  </em>
  <span>on the other end of the line. “It sounds like the stupidest idea you’ve ever had but somehow not the worst.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie stopped dead in the middle of the school hallway, and pressed his fingers against the brim of his nose. “How the </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck </span>
  </em>
  <span>does that work?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s stupid in the sense that only the dumbest person on the planet would offer themselves up to marry a person they’re in love with, who has no idea about their feelings, for any reason. And you know, committing fraud is a serious felony.” Stan said. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>But </span>
  </em>
  <span>it’s not your worst idea, because I can tell your heart is actually in the right place here and nobody would ever question you and Eddie getting married and you’d totally pass as husbands if need be. I think you should ask him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You…” Richie nearly knelt over and passed out. “You think I should ask him… you… I called you because I figured you’d be the voice of reason, Stan! The angel on my shoulder! What are you doing encouraging me to commit a felony?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan laughed again. “I am being the voice of reason. I really do think you and Eddie could pull this off, and I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>it’ll be good for Eddie. There’s also just enough promise that you’ll make this disastrous and hilarious for me to observe and that’s spiked my interest. So yes, I think that you should ask him. The Worst thing that could happen is that he’ll say no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And go back to live in Derry.” Richie whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And go back to live in Derry,” Stanley agreed solemnly. “I don’t think he’ll disagree. He’ll probably have a bit of freak out at first, but Eddie maybe hates Derry more than any of us. He’s not going to want to give up his freedom and go back to live with his mother. Ever. Plus there’s the tiny fact that he’s just as in love with you as you are with him, and you two are just too big of idiots to say anything to each other.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No comment.” Richie said with an eye roll. It was a regular argument that Richie had with Stan and Beverly, the good old </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eddie is in love with you, you should make a move. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Logically, in the back of his brain, Richie knew that for Stan this was just an up stakes of pressuring Richie to make some sort of moves on Eddie, but for him proposing to Eddie was so far away from his romantic feelings that they weren’t even in the same galaxy. This was about helping Eddie, and nothing else. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, fuck.” Richie breathed out hard. He could see Eddie coming out of the showers, hair wet and dripping, and white robe tight around him. Richie’s heart started to race as it always did when he caught sight of Eddie Kaspbrak, this time only twenty or thirty times faster than usual. “I’m gonna do it. Holy shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good luck, dumbass.” Stan clicked off before Richie had a chance to say bye. Richie slid his phone back into his pocket and moved towards Eddie like he was in trance. Eddie stopped suddenly, nearly ramming into Richie’s chest. He frowned and tilted his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rich-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Marry me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie’s mouth dropped open and his eyes blew wide. He looked around the empty school hallway as though expecting to see cameras. Richie got familiar with the ducks on Eddie’s slippers. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie started speaking at a mile per hour. “I was on the phone with my mom, and she was saying that when my dad was going to school that they got more loans and shit because they were low income. You know, because it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>just them </span>
  </em>
  <span>and not my grandparents with adult fucking jobs and shit. So, I was thinking you know, that if </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>got married then you wouldn’t be under your mom anymore- that’s what she said- and then, you know, you’d be lower income and you could get more grants and then you could keep going to school and wouldn’t have to go back to Maine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie stared at him for a moment with his mouth dropped open, then narrowed his eyes. “Are you asking me to commit fraud to get cheaper tuition?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because if you are-” Eddie grabbed Richie by the arm and started dragging him towards their dorm. “Then you shouldn’t be doing it in the middle of the goddamn hallway, Richard, are you kidding? Anybody could hear you. And second, if we’re going to do this we gotta do it right. You can’t just propose in the middle of the hallway, you gotta make it </span>
  <em>
    <span>believable. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Insta posts, a ring, you cheap son of a-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie skidded to a stop right in front of their door while Eddie had his key stuck in the door. “Hold up. Is that a yes? You’ll do it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie rolled his eyes. “Of course, it’s a great idea. I just don’t fucking fancy going to prison so we gotta get our shit </span>
  <em>
    <span>together </span>
  </em>
  <span>if we’re gonna pull this off. Come on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>⋆⋆⋆</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next afternoon, Richie found himself standing in a fancy downtown jewelry store with Eddie by his side, looking into display after display of rings. “Look, I’m all for making this believable.” Richie whispered to him as he cringed at another price tag. “But we don’t have this kind of money to just </span>
  <em>
    <span>drop </span>
  </em>
  <span>like this.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie looked thoughtful for a moment, squinting at a ring that rounded up over $1,4000. “We don’t need anything fancy or covered in diamonds, that’s for sure.” Eddie agreed. “Most engagement rings are hyper-feminine anyway, you know, with the heteronormativity.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie nodded, not exactly keeping up with the conversation. Ever since coming to New York, Eddie had really thrown himself into the LGBT scene. He joined the clubs, he went to the protests and the events. There was even some LGBT book club he took part in. Richie didn’t do any of that, despite Eddie’s claims that it would be helpful. That it was </span>
  <em>
    <span>healing</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Richie was perfectly fine not being healed, as proud as he was that Eddie was finding himself here. All the more reason to make sure he got to stay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t we get some sort of band then?” Richie said, pulling Eddie over to another display. “Wear it on your ring finger and everybody's gonna know what it is anyways. They’re cheaper and not designed for women.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie grumbled under his breath as he followed Richie over. “I just want it to seem real.” He said quietly, staring down at the rings under the glass. Richie’s heart turned over in his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Eds.” Richie said softly, wrapping an arm around Eddie’s shoulder and pulling him in to rest his head on Richie’s shoulder. Eddie let out a soft sigh and slid his hand up Richie’s back and tightened in the fabric of his T-shirt. Richie tried to ignore how his heart was racing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I help you gentleman?” A tall, thin, bald man with a pinched face came over to them and looked them down from over his long nose. Richie disliked him immediately, but was undeniably soothed by Eddie rubbing circles between his shoulder blades.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, uh, I think we’re going to go with this one,” Eddie said, gesturing towards a</span>
  <a href="https://www.peoplesjewellers.com/mens-20mm-beaded-twist-wedding-band-sterling-silver/p/V-20043579">
    <span> small silver ring that </span>
    <em>
      <span>did </span>
    </em>
    <span>have some sort of light jewels in the band</span>
  </a>
  <span>. </span>
  <span> Richie glanced down at the price and tried not to let out an audible sigh at much more reasonable cost than the engagement rings they’d been looking at before. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting together at their favourite outside table at the diner down the road from their dorm building, Eddie kept spinning the ring on his finger. “You didn’t have to pay for all of it.” Eddie said, biting at his bottom lip. “We should split the costs. It’s not like-”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not like you’re actually proposing. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie didn’t say it, but Richie heard it loud enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie shrugged and took a long sip from his iced strawberry lemonade. “Don’t worry about it,” he said honestly. “It wasn’t too pricey, and we’ll be spitting the fucking weddings costs, so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie frowned. “We better get married sooner rather than later.” He said, “If we want it to look legit, we need to be married at least a while before we apply for the loans.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie hummed in agreement. It was only the beginning of April, but he only had the vaguest idea of what planning a wedding took. Movies and TV shows always made it look like hell on fire, and Richie knew that Eddie was a bit of a perfectionist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He heard the distinct clicking of a camera, and watched Eddie snapping a picture of his hand held out in front of his meal. Ring in perfect view. Eddie looked at the picture and smiled before looking back up at Richie, the ghost of the smile still there. “Are we going to tell the Losers what we’re really doing? I hate the idea of lying to them, but I also think the less people who know the better. Don’t need to get them involved if we don’t have to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stan knows,” Richie said, to which Eddie nodded expectantly. “I called him before I asked you, to run the insane idea by him. My mom will probably be able to put two and two together, also, since I wasn’t exactly subtle when I hung up on her yesterday.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie nodded. “Okay, Stan. Your mom, probably your dad, then. That’s it. I don’t think we should tell anybody else. The more people who know, the easier it’ll be to mess this up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie agreed, shoving a blueberry scone into his mouth to avoid doing anymore talking about it. Eddie didn’t seem super interested in talking, either, and Richie’s phone let out a notification after a moment of silence. Richie pulled it free from his back pocket and let out a soft laugh as he read </span>
  <em>
    <span>eddiekaspbrak mentioned you in a post!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Loading Instagram, Richie’s breath caught in his throat at the photo of Eddie’s ringed hand and lunch filling up his phone screen. Richie could see himself sitting across from Eddie, and the caption was a simple </span>
  <em>
    <span>I said yes! @trashmouthtozier </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie let out a small laugh. “How long do you think it’ll be before the Losers start blowing us up and demanding answers?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by the insistent ringing of his phone. He chuckled and tilted the phone to let Richie see Beverly’s Caller ID.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d say no time at all.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>⋆⋆⋆</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie coughed dramatically as Beverly tightened the tie sharply into Richie’s throat. He let out loud wheezes and shoved at Beverly as Stan lowered the magazine he’d hidden himself behind. “Are you two done? We have better ways to be spending a day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Done?” Beverly squawked, shooting Stan an indigidant look. “We’re not even close to done! You know as well as I do that, as much as I’m all for freedom of expression in fashion especially, Richie does not own anything that he could walk down the aisle in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” Stan looked at her deadpan. “You’re telling me that Richie isn’t going to greet Eddie in a Hawaiian print shirt and jeans? Colour me disappointed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie coughed out a laugh, yanking the tie off his neck and handing it back to Beverly. “I know that this is happening really fast- </span>
  <em>
    <span>trust me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I know- but you are freaking out way too much for a guest. Kick back, relax, and enjoy me walking down the aisle in jeans.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan snickered as Bev started whacking at Richie’s chest. He burst out laughing himself, stumbling away. Beverly tossed the tie back onto the large pile of clothes sticking out of the suitcase sitting on the bed. Richie reached out to it and pulled out a slick black blazer. “Beverly, did you bring any clothes of your own?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beverly scoffed, but he could see the hints of a smile behind her darkened expression. “Of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course </span>
  </em>
  <span>I did! I just wanted to make sure my beloved best friend had something to wear that makes him look hot as hell when he gets married! Excuse me for getting over excited, considering I didn’t even know he was dating somebody, let alone planning to propose!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie felt a stab of guilt go through him. All things considered, his friends and family were remarkably understanding. Once Eddie had managed to convince the other Losers that this wasn’t some huge practical joke on the world, they’d been extremely supportive. His family was a little confused, but they had the spirit. They were all going to be making the trip to NYU for the very sudden ceremony. His father was even offering to pay half of the costs, though Richie suspected his mother knew something was up. </span>
  <span>Sonia, of course, was a very different story. After a week, Eddie had finally started letting her screaming, sobbing phone calls go to voice mail to be deleted once the inbox was full. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d love for my mother to be a part of my life,” Eddie had told him. “But I’m not going to shape my life to make it one she wants to fit into. She can love me and accept me for exactly who I am, or she can stay the hell away from me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie was certain he’d never been more proud of Eddie Kaspbrak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right.” Richie shook his head and brought him back to the moment at hand. “Let me see the penguin suits you brought me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan stood, too, and brushed at his shirt sleeves to straighten them out. Stan was being a surprisingly good sport about all of this, not even making any sort of jokes that could give away Richie and Eddie’s secrets. Richie reminded himself to get Stan an extra special best man’s gift for this thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Give me some credit, Richard.” Beverly said, unloading shirts and dress pants and jackets onto Richie’s dorm bed. “I have to say, I know you pretty damn well. Everything I bought you has just enough flare to be classy and trashmouthy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie picked up the closest black blazer, noticing how the crappy dorm room lights hit the silvery patterns along the sides. Dragonflies, Richie realized with a smile. He loved it instantly, not bothering to hide his poker face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you’d like that one.” Beverly said absentmindedly, separating the white button downs that all looked the same from black dress pants that also looked exactly the same. “I almost didn’t bring other jackets because I was ready to put my money on that. Don’t trash any of this stuff, either, I only have it out on a loan from the studio. You wreck it, you buy it, Tozier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beverly had gotten an internship at some big fancy modelling agency out in San Francisco, even amongst her studies. The position of </span>
  <em>
    <span>intern </span>
  </em>
  <span>made Richie pretty damn sure that none of these clothes were </span>
  <em>
    <span>borrowed </span>
  </em>
  <span>in any true sense, so much as taken and hoping to return before its absence was noticed, but Richie wasn’t about to mention it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to his dorm swung open and Eddie padded in, looking tired but satisfied. His hair flopped into his eyes, and there was a soft smile on his face. He tucked his phone into his pocket, and hesitated only barely- not even noticeable if you weren’t looking for it- before stepping up and kissing Richie on the cheek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bill and Mike will be getting in soon.” Eddie told him, tucking his hand into Richie’s. “I’m going to drive down and pick them up, take them over to the BnB to get settled in before dinner tonight.” Eddie turned to Bev, hand still tangled with Richie’s while Richie tried to focus on not sweating. “You said Ben can’t make it until tomorrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bev hummed, sounding disappointed. “Yeah, he’s got a huge presentation tomorrow morning. He’ll catch a train after his class. Probably won’t get in until the early evening, but he promises to be here in time for the rehearsal dinner.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie nodded, rubbing his thumb over the back of Richie’s hand almost absentmindedly, as he noticed the pile of clothes on Richie’s bed. “What, Bev? Are you moving in? You know, you’re not staying </span>
  <em>
    <span>here, </span>
  </em>
  <span>right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beverly shook her head. “These are clothes for sir Richard.” She said, waving around the mess of black, white and grey fabric across Richie’s twin sized bed. “Please do not be offended that I didn’t bring a closet of selection for you, I just assumed you’d always have something acceptable to wear. Richie, of course-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say no more.” Eddie waved her off with the hand that wasn’t still locked with Richie’s. It was one of those casual touches that were making Richie go absolutely mad. He knew it was all part of the act, but how long until casual touches from putting on a show would turn into routine. It had been a little over three weeks since Richie and Eddie had come up with their plan to deceive the government, and Richie was already incredibly used to holding Eddie’s hand around campus or slinking his arm around Eddie’s shoulder while sitting in the quad. It was a little jarring to realize how little their relationship had changed since they started portraying themselves as a couple, but Richie refused to dwell on that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“However,” Beverly turned and grinned wolfishly at him. “There is something you’re not going to like, Ed. Unfortunately, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>will have to spend the next couple days in the BnB with us- excluding Stan who will be staying here with your husband to be.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie and Richie cried in unison, Richie clinging to Eddie’s hand tighter than before. Richie wasn’t sure he knew how to sleep without Eddie in the room anymore. Even for years before they became roommates, Richie had been sneaking into Eddie’s bedroom window or tiptoeing Eddie into his front door and up the stairs. That desperate desire to be with your best friend all the time. It was how they’d both been so sure that they could pull this off, they were so used to always being completely up in one another’s space all the time. Richie wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle three nights away from Eddie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We still have school!” Eddie cried, face pinched up in annoyance. “I’m not skipping class just because you think we need to follow some bullshit traditions for a much less than traditional wedding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beverly shrugged one shoulder. “You have a car that I’m sure you don’t drive enough. You can stay in the BnB and go to class, Eddie. You’ll be living off campus next year anyway, right? Just get yourself used to it. Spend a few days roomed up with Bill and Mike, and it’ll make seeing Richie on the morning of your wedding all the more beautiful, I promise. I don’t know how far you’ve gone since </span>
  <em>
    <span>somebody </span>
  </em>
  <span>has given me zero details on anything-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The back of Richie’s neck burned and he let go of Eddie’s hand to rub it on the leg of his jeans when sweating became unavoidable. He and Eddie hadn’t really discussed how they were going to handle this sort of question yet, and Richie was positive they were about to blow this whole thing-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m waiting for marriage.” Eddie said suddenly, quickly, nerves showing through in every word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie nearly choked on his spit. If </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>wasn’t the biggest lie he’d ever heard. Eddie Kaspbrak had a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>liberal first quarter at NYU, truly coming into his own and accepting himself as the enthusiastic gay that he was. He’d been plastered to a new boy every week or two, and Richie swore he hadn’t seen Eddie without marks all over his skin for a solid three months. Eddie had calmed down after an initial “slut phase” as he called it himself, and he rarely even went on dates these days, but a blushing virgin Eddie Kaspbrak was not. If anybody was saving themselves for marriage, it was Richie. Not that anybody would believe that anymore. So many overcompensating jokes on Richie’s behalf, paired together with Regina Booth’s lies in sophomore about sleeping with Richie to kick start her own popularity (and her saying that he only lasted a minute to block any attempt Richie could make of denying it), it had been many years since anybody had seen Richie Tozier as a virgin- even if that was exactly what he was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beverly gave Richie a suspicious glance, and he could feel Stan’s eyes burning into his back, as though he was some sort of deviant that couldn’t possibly restraint himself from having sex. His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the thought, and he shuffled away from Eddie under the burning gazes from his friends. Eddie’s hand reached out for him and grabbed onto his belt, not pulling him any closer, but not allowing him to move any further away. Richie bit down on his lip to contain his smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” Beverly said after a moment of awkward silence. “Well, all the more reason for you guys to spend the days before the wedding separately.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do I have to spend the night in the BnB?” Eddie asked, in what could easily be described as a whine. His bottom lip jutted out and for a crazy moment, Richie wanted to swoop in and press a kiss to it. That was a line they hadn’t crossed yet, and Richie was going to leave </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>the line crossings up to Eddie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because you have a car and can drive back to campus for classes.” Stan said from his spot now resting on Eddie’s bed. His suitcase was open, and he was going over all his perfectly packed clothes. “Where as if Richie stays at the BnB, he’ll just skip all his classes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie could afford to skip his classes, but that went unsaid. Richie didn’t depend on any scholarships for tuition, and had always performed well in academic settings. All the ADHD behavioural issues behind him, Richie was a model student and he could easily miss a few days of class even this close to exams. But Eddie and Richie knew what this was: non-negotiable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie sighed and reached down to rub between Eddie’s tense shoulder blades. Before he had a chance to say anything- not that he had any idea what he would possibly say, Richie was finding himself at a loss for words more and more lately- his phone let out a loud beep from his back pocket. He pulled it free and frowned deeply at the iMessage on the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My sister wants to get lunch.” Richie said slowly, still with a deep frown. It was a vague statement, but nobody in the room would need Richie to elaborate much more. Richie had three sisters, one older and two younger. His older sister, Robyn, was five years older than Richie and they had never been close. She’d been graduating high school before Richie had ever gone into it and despite them both living in New York City, Richie only ever saw her on holidays back in Derry. His sister had some big shot job in a real estate firm, and brought home a new boyfriend every time she travelled back home for any holiday since going away to school. Not once in the seven months that Richie had lived here had Robyn ever reached out to him to meet up. Or vice versa, Richie always knew he could have taken that first step. It wasn’t that Richie didn’t love or care about this sister, there had always just been some sort of gap between the two of them, maybe age, maybe just personality. They’d just simply never been close.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie smiled at the concerned look on all his friends' faces. “Oh my God, guys, don’t look at me like I just said the Grim Reaper had texted me. Rob probably just wants to yell at me for getting married before her.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie let out a scoff and pinched Richie’s hip, letting his fingers dip up underneath Richie’s t-shirt. Had Eddie always touched him so lightly, so casually? Was this part of the act or was this just Eddie? The lines between how they were before, and how they were acting now had become strangely blurred and it left Richie feeling like he’d missed a step going up the stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie slid a hand into Richie’s back pocket and leaned his head against Richie’s shoulder. “Want me to come with you?” He asked gently, smiling softly up at him. He dug his nose slightly into Richie’s clothed shoulder and Richie’s heart jumped in his chest. “I’m sure Stan and Bev are capable of making it to the airport and then bringing Bill and Mike to the BnB if you need my support.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie pressed a quick kiss to the top of Eddie’s forehead and grinned. “I won’t make you suffer through that. You’re gonna have to deal with my family for the rest of your life, Eds. Take this one day off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your family has always been my true family.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie smiled down at Eddie, and pressed a kiss to his forehead to just… push out some of that emotion that was always overwhelming him. Eddie poked at his chest, then stepped back. His ears were a little red, and waved his hands around the room- a classic nervous tick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, let’s go.” Eddie started ushering Beverly and Stan out of the room. “If Mike and Bill get to the airport before we do, I’ll literally never be allowed to live it down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe if you weren’t so anal about what everybody else does, nobody would tease you when you were late-” Beverly was saying as Eddie as good as pushed her out the dorm room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>be </span>
  </em>
  <span>running late if I didn’t have to come get you-” Eddie closed the door behind the three of them, and Richie smiled at the closed door for a long moment. Then he sighed loudly, typed out a response to Robyn, and got dressed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His sister thankfully agreed to meet him at a coffee shop within walking distance to NYU so that Richie wouldn’t have to take the subway, and he was almost shaking with nerves by the time he arrived. His sister had already taken a seat on the patio, with a steaming cup in front of her. Richie didn’t even know what he was feeling so nervous about. Maybe he and Robyn hadn’t been close growing up, but she’d never been mean to him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, squirt.” Robyn stood and gave him a quick, friendly hug. Richie didn’t settle into it, and pulled back quickly. He sat down across from her as she slid a plastic cup that seemed to only be filled with whipped cream over him. “Wasn’t sure what you’d want, but I remember you being obsessed with sweets so I went basic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie smiled and accepted the drink, holding it between his hands but not taking a sip. Richie </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>been obsessed with sweets- when he was maybe eight years old. Now, with college riding his back, Richie drank his coffee black or with a little milk if he needed to suck it down quickly. But it didn’t feel worthwhile to fight about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what’s up?” Richie asked lightly, taking one of the blueberry scones from the plate between them and biting into it. “You never wanna meet up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robyn raised an eyebrow. “Thought it would be nice to get some information on your relationship before I waltzed into your wedding. So… Eddie Kaspbrak?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie cleared his throat awkwardly, feeling his cheeks burn red. He simply nodded, mouth purposefully full of scone. If he could get through this entire meeting without actually having to exchange a word, that would be fantastic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robyn clicked her tongue and gave Richie a sly smile. “You know, can’t say I’m surprised. That boy was always trailing after you like some little lost puppy. Had kiddy love written all over it. I’m glad it worked out for you, little brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie fought the urge to roll his eyes. If only Robyn knew how wrong she was, that </span>
  <em>
    <span>Richie </span>
  </em>
  <span>had been the one always pining after Eddie and that his life right now was the opposite of “working out”. Of course Richie recognized that he was digging himself into a grave here, but Richie had always been a sucker for self punishment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he couldn’t tell Robyn any of that. While he was certain that his sister would never do anything to hurt him, she was still very far down on the list of people he trusted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, though.” Robyn hit Richie with a wry look that reminded him of their father. “I am a little surprised that none of us even knew you were dating Eddie until you announced you were getting married. I always pegged you for the bragging type when it came to relationships, I’m not sure why you’d think you need to keep this a secret.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie frowned. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Was </span>
  </em>
  <span>he the type to brag about relationships? He wasn’t even sure what that meant. Brag in what way? Brag to whom and why? Robyn was already shaking her head while Richie was attempting to think of some sort of answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it because Eddie’s a boy?” Robyn asked him, voice dropping down to a whisper. Richie scowled at her. “You know it’s nothing to be ashamed of, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I do.” Richie said sharply. “I came out to mom and dad like, four years ago, Rob. It’s not an issue. I know that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why keep it a secret?” Robyn continued to press.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the sudden interest in my life?” Richie snapped. It wasn’t fair, he knew it wasn’t fair as soon as he said it. He never expressed any interest in Robyn either, but it wasn’t because he didn’t care. He’d always believed the same of her, and they never went at each other over it. It’s just how they were, but Richie didn’t like the feeling of being put under a microscope out of the blue by somebody who didn’t even know he’d stopped drinking glorified sugar ten years ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hurt washed over Robyn’s face and she picked at the sleeve around her cup. “I’ve always been interested in your life, Richard.” She stopped and shook her head. “Okay, maybe not, but this isn’t some school play or science fair or whatever. It’s a little concerning when my baby brother suddenly announces he’s getting married when nobody even knew he had a boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The concerts and the science fairs were important to me,” Richie said quietly, stirring the straw around in the drink. “You never went to one. You never even made an excuse, because I always just knew you weren’t gonna come.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what are you saying?” Robyn asked with a glare. “You didn’t tell anybody that you and Eddie were dating because I didn’t go to your middle school science fairs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Richie pinched his eyes closed. “We didn’t tell anybody we were dating because Sonia Kaspbrak is a homophobic, controlling cunt and the more people who knew about us, the more likely Sonia was to find out. Eddie finally told her to go fuck off and die like she deserved, so we came out. We don’t see the point in waiting when both know this is it for us both.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie blinked, surprised at himself. Despite how desperate he and Eddie were to really pull off this scam, they hadn’t sat down much to discuss the logistics of their relationship. For something Richie had pulled out of his ass, it sounded pretty goddamn believable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robyn seemed to think so, too, because she quickly turned the rest of their lunch conversation to herself and the new coworker she was dating and how she was sure Richie would love him. When they seperated and Richie hugged her goodbye, he couldn’t quite decide how this lunch had left him feeling. Not that he had much time to dwell on it, because he was late for meeting his friends and had to rush over to the BnB- which meant taking the subway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He arrived feeling sweaty and cranky and frankly, like the last thing in the world he wanted to do was socialize. He let himself in with the key that Eddie had dropped onto the key ring after they’d met for check in and sighed to himself when he kicked his shoes off. He noticed Eddie lounging on the couch, and he flopped himself face first into his lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie’s fingers went to stroke through Richie’s tangled curls immediately. “Went that well, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie gave a non-committed grunt into the denim of Eddie’s jeans, barely lifting his arms up to drape them around Eddie’s waist. Was this for show? Was this for real? Richie truly never knew anymore. The scary part was that he was starting to find that he didn’t care, either. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to see you too, Rich!” Bill’s laughing voice carried over to him but Richie just dug his nose deeper into Eddie’s soft stomach. Eddie’s fingers tangled deeper into his curls and Richie let himself be eased into a doze. It didn’t last long, more out of comfort than actually being tired, but once he came back into the world of living, Eddie was putting tiny braids in his hair and they were talking about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I’m serious,” Mike was laughing and Richie’s lips tugged up in a smile just at the sound. He really had missed his friends, phone calls and texting just weren’t enough when you’d been used to seeing them every single day. “We’ve all known for years that Richie was completely smitten, but you were a little bit of a harder egg to crack. So… when did you know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie felt Eddie chuckle as much as he heard it, the fingers tightening in his hair the only sign that Richie could sense that Eddie was nervous. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s funny, actually.” Eddie said softly. Richie’s heart raced in his chest when he realized that Eddie was trying not to wake him up. “But I don’t think I realized it until it was already happening. But it was uh… it was the beginning of the year, early September, I guess. I’d just gone on the shittiest date. It was with some dude in my Econ class. But we went to some restaurant and bar, and he spent the entire time paying more attention to the games on the tv than me. When we got back to his truck, he basically mauled my face for a couple minutes and tried to feel me up. Was a huge fucking jerk about it when I demanded he take me back to my dorms. It’s weird, I don’t even remember his name now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie remembered his name. Devon. It was a douche name, Richie had told him as much the second Eddie had mentioned it. Richie had never been so sad to be right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the Losers made a bunch of sympathetic noises, as Eddie continued on. “I was so upset when I got back to our dorm. I just wanted to wallow in self pity all night, but Richie wouldn’t let me. After I told him what happened, he forced me into pajamas- like </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual </span>
  </em>
  <span>pajama sets I didn’t even know we had- and made some terrible Jiffy pop on this hot plate I’m not even sure we’re supposed to have in our dorm and we cuddled up in his tiny twin dorm bed and watched some stupid ass </span>
  <em>
    <span>American Pie </span>
  </em>
  <span>style teen movies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s heart swelled. He remembered this night vividly, and he was surprised that Eddie was recounting it so clearly. He didn’t think that Eddie remembered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And then he said to me,” Eddie let out a wet sounding laugh. “He said that one day I’ll find myself a guy that recognized that they were going out with the most important person in the world. And then I knew, I would never have to go on another shitty date.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s heart thrummed in his chest as Eddie’s finger swiped against the skin under Richie’s glasses. He and Eddie had never discussed their story, and so much of what Eddie was saying was </span>
  <em>
    <span>true. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That whole story had happened, and Richie was racking his brain to try and recall if Eddie </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>gone out on any other dates since that night. He couldn’t remember… he couldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Beverly let out a sigh. “God, I wish Ben was here.” She said dreamly. “He would go absolutely nuts over that story, it’s so peak romance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie let out a chuckle. “Uh huh, okay. If you think it’s that great, maybe I’ll just make it my vows. Since Richie’s so adamant that we write our own and I’m totally stuck.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie knew that it was self indulgent to want him and Eddie to write their own vows, but Richie was sure that even though this wasn’t quite a real thing that it was the only wedding he was going to have. If he was going to walk down the aisle, and marry his best friend who also happened to be the love of his life- he was going to get the most out of it that he could. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie rolled over onto his back, and made a show of waking up. As giddy as he was about Eddie’s story and the thought of Eddie giving (most likely fake) vows, Richie would never want to embarrass Eddie by having him realize that Richie had heard what he’d said while he’d believed that Richie was asleep. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The back of Eddie’s hand brushed against Richie’s cheek and Richie gave a soft, still sleepy smile. “Back in the world of the living?” Eddie asked him gently, eyes full of fondness and a half-amused grin settled on his lips. Richie loved him, and he had to pretend he was only pretending to love him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie hummed and wrinkled his nose. “Apparently.” He said, voice surprisingly rough for the little amount of time he’d been asleep. He felt Eddie’s breath hitch where their bodies were pressed against one another, and Richie hoped his momentary confusion didn’t show on his face. “Trust me, it was not consensual.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie hummed, drumming his fingers almost absentmindedly on Richie’s forehead. “What time are your parents and sisters supposed to get in tomorrow?” He asked. “I want to take you to pick them up from the airport, but if it’s too close to when Ben’s train gets in then I don’t think I can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie swatted Eddie’s hand away from his face, and tangled their fingers together to rest their hands on Richie’s stomach. “Eddie, Eds. You have the rest of your life to worry about my parents and their crap. Seriously, don’t worry about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not worried about anything, I just haven’t seen Rosie since Christmas and I wanna see how big she is.” Eddie chuckled, and Richie’s face broke into a grin. Rosie was Richie’s youngest sister, only two years old. She’d been, understandably, quite the surprise to the entire Tozier family and had been cause for many whispers amongst the townspeople of Derry. A woman in her forties falling pregnant was hot gossip for months- surely something like this could only happen through some sort of scandal or affair, and died down just long enough for Maggie to give birth to a very obviously Tozier baby. Same wild intense curls and deep eyes as all her siblings, Eddie never made it a secret that Roselia Tozier was his favourite member of the family. Not that Richie could blame him in the slightest, she was his favourite person ever already.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thinking about Rosie just reminded Richie of the age difference between his siblings and how Robyn had been an asshole at lunch, and he sighed. “Robyn and I were both supposed to go pick my parents up at the airport tomorrow. They’re staying with her until after the wedding. I don’t even know…” Richie trailed off and pushed up to sit up, squeezing in between Eddie and Bill on the couch. “I don’t know if Robyn was the dick at lunch or if I was, but somebody was definitely a dick and I’m not sure if I even wanna see her so if you are absolutely welcome to get them instead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie clicked his tongue, and Bill reached out to squeeze Richie’s knee. “Why would she even ask you to lunch if she was just going to cause a fight?” Eddie asked angrily, that fierce protectiveness of his friends swimming above the surface that it was always so close to. “Does she not have anything better to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie shook his head and draped an arm around Eddie’s shoulder, dragging him and prompting Eddie to bury his face in Richie’s neck. “I don’t think she planned a fight, Eds. She just wanted to know about us, and it just it hit a nerve. She never expressed any interest in me before, and she didn’t even seem offended or surprised when I accused her of it. Basically told me I wasn’t interesting enough before you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie yanked himself free from Richie’s hold and dragged Richie to his feet. He pulled Richie through the little kitchen in BnB and out the back door. His chest was heaving as he slammed the door behind him and rounded on Richie with wild eyes. “That’s bullshit, you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie blinked, mouth half hanging open for a moment before he was able to form any words at all. “What, I mean, yeah of course. You and I aren’t even, whatever they think, so you don’t make me interesting.”</span>
</p><p><span>Eddie pursed his lips and for a fleeting second, Richie really thought he was about to start swinging. “No. That’s not what I meant.” Eddie said, cheeks flushed with the sudden shift in emotion. Ever since leaving Derry, Eddie had a much stronger grasp on himself. When he’d started seeing the school counsellor, he’d come back to their dorm with all these stories about how anxiety disorders can manifest themselves in more than just panic attacks- or </span><em><span>asthma attacks</span></em> <span>as he’d been tricked into believing they were his whole childhood- but also irritation and fluctuating emotions. Even just being at NYU, Richie had noticed a dip in Eddie’s mood snaps, and after seeing his counsellor for a few weeks, they were rare. Of course, like anything, there were always triggers- Richie just wished he knew what he’d done to trigger this.</span></p><p>
  <span> “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You </span>
  </em>
  <span>are not uninteresting!” Eddie cried, swiping his hand through the air. His face was pinched up in a scowl. THAT is what’s bullshit, Richie, that she could ever even imply something like that to you! Or say anything to make you think that. You are probably </span>
  <em>
    <span>the </span>
  </em>
  <span>most interesting person I’ve ever known.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie felt his face flush and he found himself suddenly unable to meet Eddie’s eyes. His gaze dropped to the cement ground under their feet, but Eddie’s hands were suddenly on his face and surprisingly gentle as he pulled Richie’s gaze back up to him. “You are not boring, or uninteresting, or anything fucking like that, okay? You are my… my best friend, my </span>
  <em>
    <span>person, </span>
  </em>
  <span>my fucking-” Eddie broke off and shook his head. He took a deep breath and smiled softly at Richie. “Hey. Would somebody uninteresting come up with such an </span>
  <em>
    <span>original </span>
  </em>
  <span>idea to help me when it looked like I might be forced back to Derry to my mom? No, nobody would. And nobody would ever do for me what you’re doing. Don’t fucking degrade yourself, and don’t let anybody else degrade you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>won’t let anybody degrade, alright? I won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The urge to kiss Eddie Kaspbrak was more sudden and fierce than Richie had ever experienced. They were standing in a doorway, and Eddie was cradling Richie’s face so gently, and saying such amazing things and Richie wanted to kiss him so bad it </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eds.” Richie said, voice coming out barely above a croak. Something in Eddie’s face shifted and his gaze dropped to Richie’s lips. Richie was leaning before he could think about all the horrible consequences,  but before their lips could touch the back door behind them was swinging open and whacking right into Richie’s side. Richie yelped and would have tumbled to the hard cement ground if Eddie hadn’t grabbed hold of his arms and steadied him at the last second. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both turned to him, Stan standing there, looking slightly sheepish, but much more amused. Eddie glared at him. “Are you trying to severely injure my fiancee two days before our wedding, Stanley!?!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “Sorry, boys.” Stan said with a cock of his brow. “Beverly sent me out here to break up the love fest before things got a little too steamy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Outside?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie squawked in horror, taking a noticeable step away from Richie. “Nothing was going to happen between us in the middle of a dirty New York doorway.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie couldn’t help the wave of hurt that flooded through him, even though he’d known that nothing was happening between himself and Eddie for real, and he hunched his shoulders up higher around his head. Stan’s gaze flickered over to him, and the amusement dripped off his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” he said, reaching forward and taking hold of Richie’s arm and tugging him back into the doorway. “Beverly is really serious about you guys not really being around each other until the wedding to make it more special, so she’s banishing Rich and I back to your dorm now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie turned and frowned at the sun where it still hung high up in the sky. “What? Already? It’s still early in the afternoon, I thought we’d all be hanging out until later, at least. I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry!” Stan said quickly, shoving Richie back inside while Eddie stared at them in bewilderment. “Bev’s orders! You know how it is!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan pushed Richie through the doorway and leaned in to whisper in Richie’s ear. “You’re so </span>
  <em>
    <span>fucked.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And didn’t Richie know it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>⋆⋆⋆</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the second time in two days, Richie found himself fidgeting with a suit and tie. Stan and Ben were both already dressed, and looking utterly dashing and drool worthy, while Richie tried to fight himself into Beverly’s chosen suit. “Why do I have to wear a suit to this thing? It’s not like it’s the actual wedding.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think of it this way,” Stan said, trying to work a fine tooth comb through Richie’s often ratty curls. Richie cringed as it tugged at his roots. “It’s like a play in high school, you always did a full costume dress rehearsal before opening night.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie frowned, knowing there was no accident in comparing this to a play. Richie knew it was an act, and Stan knew it just as well. Richie swallowed roughly, and yanked the tie away from his neck. “This is stupid.” Richie said harshly, his throat tight and stomaching churning. “I don’t need to rehearse walking. I know how to walk.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie threw the tie onto his dorm bed before he tossed himself backwards and glared angrily up at the ceiling. He felt the bed dip down with the weight of a person beside him. “You know, Rich,” Ben said slowly. “I would think that somebody getting married tomorrow would be a little more happy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie  let out a long, rough breath. He knew he was blowing this. He needed to do better, but he’d woken up this morning with the worst feeling of dread in his gut and clammy hands. He’d barely been able to muster up the enthusiasm at the train station when he and Stan had picked up Ben earlier, and he knew he was bordering on straight up unpleasant now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay if you’re nervous.” Ben, sweet Ben, carried on. His hand came down to rest on Richie’s shoulder and squeezed tightly. “There’s nothing wrong with that, but you don’t need to be nervous, Rich. I mean, it’s you and </span>
  <em>
    <span>Eddie. </span>
  </em>
  <span>This has been a long time coming, we all know that. Everything is going to be perfect.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie let out a noise that he knew resembled a wounded animal and curled in on himself. He was, thankfully, saved from having to explain what Ben had said that was so wrong by the knock on his dorm door. Stan opened the door and Richie peaked out from his fetal position to watch his best friend step aside and let somebody in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patty Blum was the first friend Richie made at NYU, and hands down his favourite. They were in the same psychology class- Patty taking it because she was passionate about it, Richie taking it because he’d dubbed it an easy pass. She was a tiny little thing- small enough to make Eddie look tall- and was a fiery force of energy that sometimes put even Richie himself to shame. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patty pushed herself into the room and dropped down onto the bed beside Richie, resting her head on his body. He smiled despite himself and his deep inner panic. He supposed that if he wasn’t already twelve years into being in love with Eddie Kaspbrak, it was likely enough that he would have developed feelings for Patty Blum and all her glory. He was glad he didn’t though, because she became another amazing example of how his friendships with women are the most powerful and profound relationships in his life. A chick magnet in the most platonic of ways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d accuse you of being rude and not introducing me to all your friends, but I can sense the deep internal struggle you’re having right now so I’ll let it go.” Patty said with a scoff, holding her hand out towards Ben without moving from resting on Richie’s side. “Hi, I’m Patty. I’m basically Richie and Eddie’s brain cells.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like we have a lot in common,” Stan said with a smile in his voice. Richie straightened himself up, dropping his arms around Patty’s resting body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Patty, this is Staniel. He’s my and Eddie’s original brain cells,” Richie said happily. He’d always known that Stan and Patty would get along perfectly- they’d given off a serious kindred spirits vibe from the moment Richie had started to get to know Patty- and he was already smug without any actual confirmation that they really got along. “Except I think he’s grown numb to our idiocy over the years and now he finds us too amusing to keep us from doing stupid things these days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stan is like a green stop sign.” Ben said with a chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan pointed at Ben, face stiff in that well practised </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t find this amusing, and I’m not five seconds away from cracking up </span>
  </em>
  <span>that Richie had gotten to know so well over the past few years.”Eventually we all learn that it’s impossible to control Richie and Eddie, and your life is both easier and more entertaining to watch them raise chaos.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patty glared around at them. “Is that how we ended up here? Raising chaos?” Patty leaned her head back and smiled sweetly up at Richie. “Because I’m sorry, sweetie, I think you’re great but I’m not buying this wedding thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Richie asked, wagging his eyebrows at her. “That Facebook event invite didn’t seem real enough to you? I told Eds we should have sprung for real invitations. Rookie mistake. I’ll keep that in mind for next time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stan snorted and Patty rolled her eyes. Ben made an awkward, throat clearing noise. “I’m sorry, I feel like I’m seriously missing out on something here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie sighed and pushed up, letting Patty flop back against his mattress. He knew if he said- really said it outloud- that put everything at risk. For Patty to have easily figured it out, that was one thing. But he couldn’t just put it out into the universe like that. Saying the words, this deep into what they were doing, then Richie was putting the entire thing in jeopardy. Even last night, he and Stan hadn’t discussed it in some many words. He couldn’t just tell Ben now, not after all his and Eddie’s careful planning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is Eddie going to change his major?” Patty asked suddenly, saving Richie from the awkward, unfillable silence. Everybody in the room frowned at her and she shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sorry, it doesn’t matter, but I just sort of was under the impression that he was only taking business because that’s what his mother wanted him to do. If she isn’t paying for his education anymore, then he can change without worrying about her, right? Take something he really wants to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s mouth dropped open and he looked around at Stan quickly. Out of all the positives they’d all discussed, somehow Eddie getting to pursue a career path that interested him had never come up. “I- I’m not sure.” Richie said truthfully. “I don’t know if he’s thought about that, honestly. Little guy’s got a lot on his plate, he’s pretty much done all the wedding planning because we all know I’m useless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room laughed, and Patty kept her eyes on Richie with a small smirk. “You should bring it up to him, once the wedding is over. I think he should look into it, do what’s best for Eddie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie nodded, biting at his bottom lip. Business had never been Eddie’s passion, he even often claimed about how much he hated his courses and the “douchebags” in all his classes. Eddie Kaspbrak was a people helper, and from what Eddie could tell- almost everybody in these business courses only ever wanted to help themselves. And that simply wasn’t Eddie. “Yeah.” Richie said, lips turning up into a smile. “I’ll definitely talk to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But before we do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Stan said sharply. “You need to put that tie back on and we need to get that hair under control.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie rolled his eyes but allowed Stan to move back to ripping his roots out as though it was going to make his hair less curly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His scalp was still burning as he walked into the small venue that he and Eddie had managed to book for their wedding and rehearsal. Went and Maggie had been surprisingly helpful when it came to money- wonderfully excited about the first of their children to get married.. His mother was greeting him as he came inside, giving him a huge hug. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a good man, Richie.” She whispered in his ear as he leaned down to hug her tightly. “You make me proud everyday. Take care of yourself, too, son.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie knew that would be the closest the two of them would ever come to discussing their phone conversation that had so quickly followed up an engagement announcement. He smiled at her, but his eyes were already searching the semi crowded building against his own intentions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your beau is somewhere off with my daughter.” Maggie said with a joyous laugh. “Barely let her go since he picked us up. Don’t imagine it’ll take much convincing to get him to give you some kids of your own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie flushed. In any other situation, he’d assume this was meddling parents like everybody always complained about. </span>
  <em>
    <span>When I am going to have grandchildren, Richard. </span>
  </em>
  <span>But he knew it wasn’t, Richie had been talking about having kids since he was young. His father had confessed at Richie’s high school graduation that he was almost surprised Richie had made it through high school without getting somebody pregnant just for his own baby wants.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie considered running away for a moment. Seeing Eddie in a suit, holding his baby sister would quite possibly make him explode but he supposed this wasn’t something he could avoid forever. It wasn’t like he could just run away from any situation that involved Eddie and small children because his heart couldn’t handle it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eddie doesn’t want kids, Momma.” Richie said sadly. His mom frowned slightly. “He only likes kids that he can give back to their parents when he wants to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie clucked her tongue. “Might be a little late in the game, Richard, but you should talk to Eddie about this before you walk down that aisle tomorrow and do something very legal and binding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Momma…” Richie mumbled, looking down at his stupid, shiny dress shoes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie patted his face. “You’ve always wanted kids, my son, ever since you were one yourself. Your wants are important, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie nodded and licked his bottom lip. Chances were he and Eddie weren’t going to be married more than a few years, until the end of college, and Richie would still have plenty of time to find a wife or husband to start a family with. He wasn’t old by any means, and there was no reason to have an awkward “hey I do wanna have kids someday” talk with Eddie, as it wasn’t going to be necessary. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about me, Momma.” Richie kissed her cheek. “I know what I’m doing.” A lie, but a harmless one. The smallest of lies that Richie had been telling lately. Richie only had a split second of peripheral vision warning before he was being tackled in a bear hug by Reed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God.” Richie groaned exaggeratedly as he squeezed her. Only two years apart in ages, Richie and Reed had always been wondrously close. She had been the first person Richie had ever confessed his questioning sexuality to, and he knew in his heart of hearts that there would never be a person on this planet that he was closer to than his little sister Reed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t turn into a sap on me.” Reed pulled back and they both pretended that her eyes weren’t a little watery. After seeing somebody every day for 16 years, it was both jarring and hard to adjust to. “You know, I’m surprised we’re actually here. I never thought you’d have the nerve to let Eddie dick you down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie flushed from the tip of his hair and all the way down the back of his neck. Maggie, as usual, showed no reaction to her children’s vulgarinity. Richie punched Reed roughly in the shoulder and she giggled as she stumbled backwards. “Asshole!” He cried. “And I could just as easily be dicking Eddie down!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie and Reed exchanged a look from the corner of their eyes, and both purse their lips to disguise a smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god!” Richie gagged dramatically and shoved a laughing Reed away from him. “You guys are disgusting, do you really not have anything better to talk about than my potential sexual position preferences? </span>
  <em>
    <span>God, ew!” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Maggie and Reed were still laughing as Richie turned and fled deeper into the party. He didn’t know when the entire shindig was gonna start, he knew that everybody was already here- Richie, Stan, Ben and Patty were the people everybody was waiting on if Beverly’s text messages could have been believed- but nobody seemed to be in any rush to start practising their walking skills.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie caught sight of Eddie- wearing only a pair of dressed pants and button up shirt </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank you very much- </span>
  </em>
  <span>holding his phone in one hand with Rosie balanced on his other arm. Richie’s heart thrummed in his chest as he walked up to them. “Hey, Eds. You got something that belongs to me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Witchy!” Rosie screamed when she noticed him, nearly throwing herself out of Eddie’s arm to cling onto her brother. Eddie laughed, barely able to keep a hold on Rosie as she transferred arms. Richie squeezed her to his chest, pressing his face into her baby soft curls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you’re here- </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie shot Richie a pointed look, which Richie gave a toothy grin in response. “Do you feel like going to </span>
  <span>Numero 28 for dinner? We only have food from this venue tomorrow, and frankly, they’re incredibly overpriced so they’re lucky we’re paying for it at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Numero 28 is amazing, you know I’m always down for it.” Richie said, rubbing his hand up and down Rosie’s back. Her head rested against his shoulder, and he knew without looking that she was beginning to doze. “And just a warning- my mom ambushed me the second I was in here about how good you are with kids and I think we’re probably in for the good ol’ grandkids speech pretty soon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie sighed and shook his head, though a smile was hinting on his lips. “I thought she was looking at me a little too closely when I was playing with Rosie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Richie said, reaching out to pinch Eddie’s cheek. Eddie swatted him away, but he was smiling. Richie suddenly placed the sleepy looking Rosie onto the ground and urged her to go find her uncle Stan. Rosie toddled off and Richie turned back to Eddie, feeling suddenly somber. Eddie’s smile dipped and he reached out to take Richie’s hand in his. “What’s wrong, Rich? Did something happen?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just trying…” Richie glanced around, and then pulled Eddie away from the main room to an off-hallway. “If we’re doing a run through of the whole wedding, then we’re gonna have to uh… kiss.” Eddie’s lips pursed and Richie took in a deep breath. “And we never have before, so I guess I’m just worried that when we kiss up there, everybody's gonna know-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That we never have before,” Eddie finished for him with a nod. “You’re right. So we should kiss now.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s mouth dropped open, and his hands started to shake at his sides. He gaped at Eddie for what was no doubt, entirely too long. He couldn’t help it, it felt like he’d suddenly fallen down the weirdest rabbit hole and come up in some sort of  wonderland, because there was no way in hell Eddie Kaspbrak had just suggested that they kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie didn’t have the chance to put his brain back on before Eddie was reaching up to cup his face and Richie’s traitorous impulses let out a small gasp, as Eddie’s lips pressed against his. Richie thought with his nerves that this would be horrible, he was sure his entire body was trembling. But it wasn’t terrible, it was amazing, so amazing that it threatened to choke Richie and kill him on the spot. It was like his and Eddie’s lips were </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant </span>
  </em>
  <span>for each other’s. Richie put his hands on Eddie’s hips, his fingers twitching in the position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They broke apart after a moment- equally too short and too long. Richie somehow managed to have enough dignity not chase Eddie’s lips as he pulled back. Eddie opened his eyes slowly, looking over Richie’s face with a deep wrinkle between his brows. He was pulling Richie back in so quickly the world seemed to spin around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pressed up against one another as Richie’s head was forced down by Eddie’s hands to keep kissing. Richie kept his hands firm and unmoving on Eddie’s hips, knowing that if he gave himself even the smallest inch then he’d break. Eddie’s tongue ran along Richie’s bottom lip, and Richie found himself groaning against all of his wills. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie pressed closer to Eddie while telling himself that he absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>should not </span>
  </em>
  <span>do that, and Eddie’s hands slid upwards and tangled up in the curls that Stan had worked so hard on getting tamed. Richie was shocked to feel that the world hadn’t completely exploded around them. Everything ceased to exist, and only Eddie and Richie were left. A low whistle coming from behind them proved that feeling was more than false. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie and Eddie broke apart as though they’d been burned, Eddie actively shoving Richie away. Richie rubbed over his heart as he turned around, seeing Beverly Marsh grinning widely at them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I was right to keep you guys separated last night.” Beverly said smugly. “So many years of repressed feelings, I’m not surprised you guys can’t keep your hands off of each other.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s face burned, and he refused to look at Eddie even from the corner of his eye. He kept his hands tightly against his chest. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, hornboys. Everybody is more than ready to start.” Beverly reached out to take Richie by the arms and tug him back into the large hall. “Don’t worry, one more night and you guys get to ravish each other as husbands. It’ll all be worth it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie was impressed that he didn’t throw up all over the place. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rehearsal itself went about exactly like Richie expected it to. Stan was disappointed but not surprised by  Richie’s ruined hair, everybody was great at walking, and Rosie Tozier was the world's cutest flower girl. Eddie and Richie had both clammed up when it had been suggested that they give everybody a sneak peak at their vows and everybody had been dismissed to Numero 28 with many complaints about how hungry they were. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They got their tables and there wasn’t much talking besides pleasantries as they waited for the food to arrive. Richie and Eddie were pressed together in the corner of the large both, Eddie resting against Richie with his head on his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look at Stan and Patty,” Eddie whispered in Richie’s ear. Richie glanced across the table to where Stan was sitting closer to Patty than Richie had ever seen him sitting near a stranger before in almost twenty years of friendship. Despite his own internal panickings, Richie smiled. “You were right about them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Course I was, Eds.” Richie said cheerfully, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Eddie nuzzled in closer to him, and Richie’s heart fluttered. “Nobody knows Stan like I do. Within a week of knowing Patty, I was already writing my best man’s speech.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie huffed a laugh out his nose and closed his eyes. “God, I slept like shit last night. I forgot that Bill snored so badly, it was brutal. I think I got like fifteen minutes of sleep altogether. I wish I could go back to our dorm with you tonight. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie kissed Eddie on the top of the head and tried not to think too hard on what Eddie was saying. He wanted to go back to the dorm to get away from Bill’s snoring, not because he missed Richie. “Even if you have to listen to my sleep talking all night?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie laughed out loud this time, and Richie tried to tell himself that Eddie wasn’t scooting closer to him. “Nah, Rich. Your sleep talking is basically like my white noise machine at this point. It’s actually sort of soothing to hear you doing mathematical equations while unconcious, you nerd.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, I know you’re never going to let me live down being valedictorian or whatever, but I don’t actually dream about math.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sometimes I dream about you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Richie thought guiltily, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and everytime I remember you telling me that I talk in my sleep and I’m terrified but you’ve never said a word about it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie just hummed in response, letting his eyes dip shut. Richie squeezed his shoulders and leaned his face in to rest behind Eddie’s ear. “Listen, you can go back to the dorm tonight. I’ll make sure Billy doesn’t follow you and snore in your ear all night.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie shifted and frowned up at Richie. Their faces were so close Richie could kiss him again- he wanted to kiss him again but was also already fantasizing about skipping out the wedding tomorrow so he’d never have to kiss Eddie again. “It’s okay, Rich. I can handle one more night with Big Bill’s snoring. Once we get married tomorrow, nobody will ever expect us to share a room with anybody else ever again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Once we get married tomorrow… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Richie swallowed roughly. He forced a smile. “Come on, Eds. Nobody’s been sharing a room with us since middle school at least, if they could help it. We’re too annoying, remember?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I am not annoying!” Eddie said stubbornly, sitting up and shoving at Richie’s chest. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re </span>
  </em>
  <span>annoying and it just rubs off on me when we’re together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Awe.” Richie cooed, leaning into Eddie’s personal space and made loud kissing noises. “If you wanted me to rub off on you, baby, you just gotta ask.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie made a loud, gagging noise and attempted to wiggle away from Richie. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s nice to know that nothing’s changed.” Mike said, taking a long sip from his glass. Richie and Eddie looked at each other and Richie smiled bitterly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because of course, Mike was right. At the base of everything, nothing had changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>⋆⋆⋆</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Richie felt almost </span>
  <em>
    <span>too calm. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He could feel that Eddie was off somewhere being a groomzilla and that notion soothed him. He got into the fancy suit without an issue, and compromised with Stan by allowing his best friend to put his hair up into a tidy bun on top of his head. His family came in while he was getting ready, and his mom cried and hugged him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Robyn placed a hand on Richie’s shoulder and gave him a small smile. “I’m sorry about everything at lunch the other day. That was stupid. I’ve always… cared about you, Richie.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie rolled his eyes and smiled fondly at his older sister before tugging her into a hug. “Don’t worry about it, Robs. What kind of siblings would we be if we didn’t fight every once in a while over stupid shit?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Robyn pulled back with a little laugh, her eyes glassy. She patted him in the face, right on the line being loving  patting and slapping, and Richie chuckled. “You clean up good, little brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks.” Richie said, ducking away from her. He stepped closer to Reed and slid his arm along her back and tugged her into his side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you done ignoring me?” Reed grinned up at him. “I’m sorry Mom and I talked about how obviously you’re a bottom.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie groaned and pressed his face into his sister’s hair. “You’re a little demon, you know that? Disgusting.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The door to Richie’s private area opened and Mike came in, looking utterly smashing and boner-worthy, and Richie had a split second fantasy of Mike Hanlon sweeping him off of his feet and then running away together. Richie smiled at him, though it quickly dropped when he noticed the panicked look on Mike’s face. “What? What happened? Did Eddie run away? Who was running the getaway car? Was it Bill? He punched me in the face once when we were 12 and this is the perfect excuse for payback.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike blinked at Richie while Reed and Robyn burst out laughing. “What?” Mike shook his head. “No. Jesus, jumps to the worst case scenario. Eddie’s having a freakout because the kitchens are having some sort of issue and they can’t provide food for the dinner. Eddie’s losing it, full blown Kaspbrak meltdown.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie crinkled. “Just…. Order takeout. What’s the problem, there’s like 30 people here max? They’re giving us the money back for the food deposition, yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike nodded quickly. “After the way Eddie freaked on the manager, I wouldn’t be surprised if they gave us this whole wedding for free.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie chuckled. “Go back and tell Eddie to relax. We could order like $100 worth of pizza and feed everybody with leftovers. Much cheaper than the $400 they wanted for the meals, and probably way more our style. I tried to tell him that during the planning, but he wouldn’t listen to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike stared at Richie a long moment, long enough that Richie started to feel like his skin was crawling. “You’re the perfect match for him, Richie Tozier.” Mike said, sounding a little awestruck. “I have to admit, I had my doubts, but you’re really gonna be good for him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks?” Richie said, flushing. Mike nodded at him and tossed him a wink as he moved to leave. “Wait!” Richie cried. “You had </span>
  <em>
    <span>doubts?” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Mike laughed. “You’re expected to walk down that aisle in five minutes, Richie. Let’s get moving.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s when Richie went numb. He barely even remembered his dad guiding him from the room and walking him through the building. Walking him </span>
  <em>
    <span>down the aisle, </span>
  </em>
  <span>to where Eddie was waiting for him in full tuxedo-get up. Richie could have vomited his heart right onto Eddie’s feet at the sight. He didn’t even tune back into the world until he found that he had to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the grooms have prepared their own vows.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie choked, looking at Eddie with wide eyes. Eddie smiled at him, eyes soft, features reassuring. Richie exhaled hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eddie Kaspbrak, I’ve waited to marry you since I was four years old eating dirt on the school playground. Henry Bowers- may he rot in Juniper Hills- had just pushed our little Eds here into a mud puddle, and I’ve never seen a kid so distressed at being dirty. And I wanted to help you, to make you feel better. That became one of the biggest constants of my life from that. This intense want to make sure nothing ever hurt you and if it did, to make it better. Whether it was fighting bullies in your honour even if you begged me not to, or even just making you smile after your mother or somebody brought you down. I love you, Eds, and I want to spend the rest of my life making sure that nothing hurts you or any wrong is done to you. I will do everything in my power to make sure you only have the happiest of lives. I want you to have everything you’ve ever wanted, and everything good that you deserve. And I’ll spend forever making sure that you do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie was crying, hands holding tight to Richie’s at the end of the aisle. He had several deep, wet breaths and closed his eyes tightly before he was able to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Richie…. You’ve been the biggest pain in my ass since age four, and I’ve shied away from telling you that.” Everybody in the room laughed, even Richie giving a chuckle. “But there’s so many things about you that I’ve never really told you, but you’ve always deserved to know. I struggled a lot with these vows, I had no idea what I wanted to say- how could I sum up you and I? Even people who grew up alongside us could never explain us. We’re EddieandRichie but last night… Last night you offered to let me go back to the dorm and you’d succumb yourself to Bill’s snoring because I mentioned that I had trouble sleeping. And it just </span>
  <em>
    <span>hit me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>that you’re so good. You’re too good for me, you’re too good for anybody.” Richie’s mouth dropped open, but he managed to hold his tongue because he sort of thought it might be illegal to talk during somebody’s wedding vows. “You’re foul mouthed and beyond hyper active, but your instinct in any situation is to do good. And if anytime you don’t, you recognize and you own it. I honestly think you might be one of the best people left in this world, and if there’s anything I can vow to you it's that… I’m gonna try to be worthy of your goodness, Richie Tozier. Because that’s what you deserve.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie couldn’t hold back the sob that escaped from his throat and tears dripped down Eddie’s cheeks. Richie wasn’t sure he was supposed to, but he reached up and wiped the tears from the soft skin. It was what he vowed, wasn’t it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And with all the power vested in me, I now pronounce you wed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie barely waited for the official declaration before he was pushing forward and crashing his lips against Richie’s, though Richie couldn’t pretend he wasn’t just as eager. The crowd of their family and friends all cheered them on as they kissed, and in that moment Richie could forget that this was all a scam.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the night passed in a blur, Eddie and Richie dancing their first dance to </span>
  <em>
    <span>The One </span>
  </em>
  <span>by Elton John, and Bill brought them all to tears again with his best man speech. Before Richie even knew what was happening, he and Eddie were making sure all their </span>
  <em>
    <span>well drunk </span>
  </em>
  <span>friends got into Ubers back to the BnB before taking off on their own. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The BnB Richie and Eddie were staying in was a flat in a nice building in the heart of the city. Everything from the walls to the art to the bedding was white and it had the most glorious king sized bed Richie had ever seen. He kicked off his shoes and threw off his suit jacket before tossing himself back onto the bed and sighing in bliss as he sunk into the mattress. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie laughed as he took Richie’s jacket from the ground and hung it across one of the chairs in the room. “Didn’t Bev steal this suit? You should take better care of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eddie, my love, I don’t really care about anything right now.” Richie said almost drowsy. In the whirlwind of the party, Richie had somehow only managed one or two drinks between all of his running. He’d smoked a blunt with Stan and Beverly at one point, but that had been hours ago and he was already coming down. Eddie hadn’t had much to drink either, if the alert look of his face was anything to go by. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie changed into the pajamas he’d had dropped off earlier in the day during check in, and Richie didn’t allow himself to look. He’d been living with Eddie long enough to have mastered it, it was a habit more than anything these days. Eddie turned off the overhead light before he crawled up into the bed beside him, and encouraged Richie to at least strip off the expensive, stolen dress pants leaving him in just a white button up dress shirt and his Spongebob boxers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a grown man.” Eddie said, looking down at Richie’s choice in underwear with distance mixed with amusement. “You’re a </span>
  <em>
    <span>married </span>
  </em>
  <span>man. Wearing cartoon boxers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well….” Richie wagged his eyebrows and licked his lips mock seductively.  “I could always just take them off for you, Eddie baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie’s eyes scanned over Richie’s face, though Richie wasn’t sure how much he could see in the dark unfamiliar room. He must have seen </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>though, because he was leaning in and kissing him. Richie melted into it immediately, hands coming out to rest on Eddie’s thighs and he dug his nails in. Eddie let out a hum and started twirling the little whisks of curls at the bottom of Richie’s neck around his fingers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie’s tongue pushed at Richie’s lips and Richie opened his mouth to him without thinking. Richie let out a soft, involuntary groan when Eddie’s tongue flicked against his own, and his body was suddenly burning from the inside out. Until Eddie tossed a leg over Richie’s waist and moved to position himself above Richie’s laying form and it was like suddenly getting dosed with ice cold water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait!” Richie broke away, chest heaving. “Eddie, I… I’ve never done this before. I-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie wrinkled his brow at Richie, lips turning down into a deep frown. “You’ve never… had sex before? What about Betty Ripsom in tenth grade?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie shook his head and closed his eyes. “She lied about that, I think she just wanted people to think she wasn’t a virgin, I don’t know. Everybody believed it so easily and I never really saw any point in trying to discourage it. But no, I… I’ve never had sex before and Eddie…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie leaned back, still positioned above Richie but with plenty of space in between them. Richie both wanted him to close the gap and move further away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t have sex with you, Eddie. I-” Richie shook his head, though it sort of hurt with the bun on his head. “I can marry you and live with you and be by your side forever, I can do that. But god, Eddie, we can’t sleep together. If we sleep together it will </span>
  <em>
    <span>break </span>
  </em>
  <span>me, you have to understand.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small whimper came from Eddie’s throat and Richie’s hands tightened where they still rested on his thighs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because god, Eddie, I am so in love with you. I’ve been in love with you since middle school. I carved our fucking initals into the kissing bridge back in Derry for gods’ sake.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Richie.” Eddie breathed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I meant what I said in my vows, I’ll do anything to make sure you get what you deserve in life. I won't let your mother take anything else away from you, and I’ll do anything so you can finish school. I’ll work four jobs if I need to to put you through fucking school, I swear to you I will. I can be your pretend husband, Eddie, I can fake that for all our friends and everyone in our lives. But I can’t have sex with you- lose my </span>
  <em>
    <span>virginity- </span>
  </em>
  <span>to you and pretend it isn’t serious or that it doesn’t matter because it would mean everything to me and I could never come back from that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s chest heaved as he broke his mini rant to grab some much needed air, and he really wished the lights were on right now so he could see Eddie’s face and know without words if he’d just ruined the most important relationship in his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Richie…” Eddie breathed again, and he almost sounded… happy? Richie’s heart threatened to break through his chest as Eddie leaned down and kissed him again. He pulled back after only a split moment and Richie could see the smile on his face clearly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That wasn’t some fake wedding, okay?” Eddie said gently, running his thumb along Richie’s cheekbone. “Okay, maybe it was kind of. That was the plan, but you aren’t my </span>
  <em>
    <span>fake </span>
  </em>
  <span>husband or my fake anything. Everything I said in my vows were true, Rich. You’re the best person I know, the only person who’d ever do anything like this for anybody not just me. You’re a true husband, Richie, and not just in the eyes of the law or what the fuck ever. My eyes, too, dingus. I </span>
  <em>
    <span>meant </span>
  </em>
  <span>what I </span>
  <em>
    <span>said, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m going to spend forever making sure I’m good enough for you and for your love, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie wasn’t sure if he was even breathing anymore. Maybe the entire world had stopped spinning outside. “You… I?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, Richie Tozier.” Eddie breathed, their noses brushing as Eddie leaned in closer to Richie’s personal space. “And I want us to do this, for fucking real. You’re my everything. My past, my present, and sure as hell my future. I don’t wanna do anything without you, I don’t think I even can. And maybe this is backwards as </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck, </span>
  </em>
  <span>getting fucking married before confessing that we’re in love with each other but we’ve never done anything by the book so why the hell should we start now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.” Richie said in a broken-off sob.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie kissed him lightly on the nose. “And I love you. I always have.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>⋆⋆⋆</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie and Richie had chosen their apartment post engagement but pre-confessions of love, and they were now straddled with the costs of a two bedroom that they knew they’d forever only be using one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean,” Richie said as he put down one of the few boxes of things he and Eddie owned. “It’s still a good ass deal, the place already came with appliances and some furniture. Most one bedroom apartments cost almost as much in rent anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie slid a box labelled RICHIE’S CRAP across their new, old wooden coffee table and stretched, a little bit of his midriff showing as his NYU sweater rode up. Because only Eddie Kaspbrak would be rocking school merch during summer break. “When you’re right, you’re right.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie chuckled and kissed Eddie’s cheek. “It doesn’t happen often, so I’ll take it when I can get it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie wrapped his arms around Richie’s mid-section and held him close. “It happens often enough, babe. Don’t sell yourself short.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie leaned in and gave Eddie a lingering kiss, both of them grinning like idiots when Richie pulled back. “If you’re really worried about it, we can look into a roommate for the spare room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not worried about it.” Eddie said, still locking Richie up against him. “We know we can afford this place with our budget. We can just keep the room a guest room. Maybe one day…” Eddie smiled bashfully, cheeks gaining a slight flush. “Maybe one day it can be a baby's room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie’s brain faltered. “A baby- but Eds… Eddie, you don’t want kids.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie frowned at him. “I said I didn’t want kids when I was like, fifteen, Richie. And it’s not because I don't’ like them or because I don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>them, it’s because I’ve always been worried if I had kids I’d end up like my mother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eddie…” Richie said softly, cupping Eddie’s face in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie beamed up at him. “I don’t worry about that anymore. Maybe it’s still in the back of my mind, but I know that you’d be the most amazing dad in the world and your parents would be the most amazing grandparents and I know that you’ll make me a better dad, just like you make me a better person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie kissed Eddie again. “I don’t make you anything, Eddie. You’re an amazing person all on your own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Eddie hummed. “But you encourage me to be that person, make sure that I don't get lost in my own head and get off track. I don’t think I’d ever wanna have kids if I didn’t have you beside me, but yeah… when we’re older, done with school, there’s nothing in this world I’d like more than having a family with you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Richie squeezed Eddie tightly against his chest, both of them tumbling through the living room and collapsing on the couch that now belonged to them. Richie wasn’t sure if he’d ever get used to this, but he couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life finding out.</span>
</p>
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